Case Study: SIGN Fracture Care International achieves improved fracture care for the developing world’s poor with Materialise's Mimics Innovation Suite

Helping Heal Injured Poor around the World with SIGN

SIGN Fracture Care International treats orthopaedic injuries in the developing world, where untreated fractures often lead to lifelong disability and deepen poverty in communities lacking C-arms and power equipment. Since 2002, Materialise has donated the Mimics Innovation Suite to SIGN, which the organization uses to develop and conduct computerized strength tests and to design implants adapted to low-resource surgical settings.

Using Materialise’s Mimics Innovation Suite, SIGN segments bones and models implants to refine designs—finding, for example, that straight nails with three-point fixation outperform curved nails, adapting fin nails for the tibia to replace interlocking screws, and developing a well-performing pediatric femoral nail with precise sizing. Materialise’s support has helped SIGN improve implant designs and training, enabling surgeons to treat more patients, speed healing and return more patients to work in low-resource environments.

SIGN Fracture Care International

Lewis Zirkle

President and Founder